Chapter 13: Harnessed

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters in True Blood or the Southern Vampire Mysteries. So neither copyright infringement nor offense is meant. I simply want to make the characters do what I wanted them to do for a while. I am especially “unownerly” when it comes to this story. You will recognize a lot of the dialogue throughout as being quoted from Season 5 of True Blood, though I’ve tried to use Eric’s thoughts to make this story “different” from its source. That said, I claim no ownership to the quoted material and have placed it in bold so that it is set apart from my own words.

Thankfully, it turned out that a shower was on the agenda; unfortunately, the stall I was led to was miniscule, and I was eye-level with the goddamned nozzle!

Gods—I despised having to bend down to wash my hair.

“What? Did we lose a fucking war?” I asked the shower stall.

Still, the water felt good and there was soap. And—at this point—I was grateful for small favors. As I lathered up a second time—hoping that it would finally eliminate the lingering stench of Nan Flanagan from my body—I allowed myself to open my bond with Sookie completely.

I had never been as comforted and as pained by anything in my entire existence.

Sookie was agitated as if she were still looking for something, but she was also extremely determined. I felt my cock begin to swell.

Gods—I loved her determination.

I closed my eyes and stroked myself a little, imagining the set of Sookie’s jaw and the light in her eyes when she was determined. “Fairy Sookie,” I thought to myself.

Sadly, my self-stimulation was interrupted as I felt a strong surge from both of the bonds within my body! My palms connecting with the shower tiles in order to keep my body standing, I gasped at the strength of the emotions I was getting from them.

Something was happening to Sookie and Pam. My first thought, of course, was Russell Edgington. Powerless, to do anything and fearing the worst, I monitored two of the three beings I cared about most in the world.

Sookie was frightened, and I felt pain coming through our bond. I gasped. Thankfully, that pain was almost immediately replaced by anger, and then a surge of energy pulsed through me—almost like a heartbeat. After that, Sookie’s emotions leveled out a bit. Meanwhile, Pam, whom I knew had been worried and annoyed all night, was suddenly enraged, and then there was an unexpected burst of pain from her.

Sookie’s surge of power and Pam’s pain had occurred almost simultaneously within me. Despite that, I sighed loudly in relief, knowing in that moment that it wasn’t Russell who was threatening Pam or Sookie.

I didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the two most important women in my life were once again having an altercation—a physical one this time. And it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know who had won either. Pam was fuming and felt shame, whereas Sookie had settled down and was feeling satisfied with herself; she was agitated as before, but she was fine otherwise.

Neither of them had felt pain for very long. And, for that, I was grateful.

I couldn’t help but to feel proud of Sookie—proud and hopeful. If she were able to take on Pam and walk away alive—especially given Pam’s recent attitude and behavior regarding her—then she might be able to defend herself against Russell.

I closed my eyes tightly and shut off the water. Every instinct inside of me was screaming that I should go to my child and my . . . .

“All of the above,” I said to the tiny shower stall as I stepped out and began to dry off. Quickly, I put on the change of clothing that I’d been given, thankful not to have to put back on my own blood-stiffened garments. I was amused to see that my new ‘outfit’ came complete with a pair of flip-flops.

“My favorite,” I remarked, slipping them on.

I opened the door that led to the room where the guards were waiting for me. Bill was already there.

“Ah—look, honey,” I intoned, “we have matching outfits again.”

Bill smirked. “Indeed we do.”

“Not as swanky as the robes though,” I observed with a wink.

“Later,” Bill joked in return—even as the guards grabbed our arms and jostled us into motion.

Bill and I were led down yet another of the endless corridors that filled the subterranean levels of the building.

Upon reaching our destination, we were pushed into a sparse room. A young vampire, who looked like she’d been turned about a year before and who could only be described as a “cute little computer geek,” ordered us to strip off our shirts as she opened a suitcase and took out what looked to be a harness of some kind.

“Kinky,” I thought to myself.

Out loud, I asked, “What is that?”

“I call it,” the techy said excitedly, “the I-Stake.”

“That’s catchy,” I deadpanned.

Clearly proud of her creation, the young techy went on to gleefully describe the device that she was putting on me. Apparently, with one little click, a wooden tipped bullet would pierce my heart.

Lovely.

I wondered if the little device could possibly pierce that organ any more than a certain fairy-human had already done. I doubted it.

The techy warned me that the harness would pinch a little but that I’d get used to it. “Kinky indeed,” I thought.

“Just imagine it’s a training bra,” she said.

“Well, it’s been a long time since I wore one,” I intoned.

Even as Bill looked at me with amusement, the techy secured a second one onto his chest.

“How do you trigger these devices?” Bill asked.

“There’s an app for that,” the young vampire stated flatly.

“You’re joking,” Bill smiled.

I didn’t think she was.

“Nope,” she confirmed. “So if you try to do something stupid like attack me or try and run away or whatever―click and splat.”

“Efficient,” Bill commented.

I agreed; I too had to admire the efficiency of the whole apparatus. Technology could be a wondrous thing, and the idea of having a life in my hands that just a touch of a button could end was a powerful thought indeed.

An app that could end a thousand-year life.

Yeah—technology could be a bitch too.

I listened as the techy explained that trying to remove the harness would also lead to our certain deaths.

Of course it would.

She also explained the “safety features” of the harnesses. Apparently, they were indestructible: “water-proof, fire-proof,yada, yada, yada”—whatever the hell that meant. They also contained “big brother-type” tracking devices.

Of course.

The techy finished her spiel with a warning, “Do yourselves a favor—don’t fuck around. Okay? You guys are too cute to be goo.”

I had a difficult time holding in my smirk. I liked her. Young ones tended to be annoying, but this one was amusing.

“Thanks,” I deadpanned.

“We will try not to ‘fuck around,'” Bill added.

“Try,” I emphasized, this time my smirk coming out.

The techy rolled her eyes and put her phone in her pocket.

I looked over at Bill. “How precious. We match again.”

“I would think you would be used to harnesses, Eric,” Bill smirked.

“I am used to putting others in them,” I informed, winking at the techy.

“You two can put your shirts back on,” she said with another roll of her eyes.

“So,” I grinned, “does that app do anything else? Anything naughty?”

The techy chuckled. “Not yet.”

“Then I shall compose a ‘wish list,'” I winked again.

As soon as we were dressed, Bill and I were led down a corridor we’d not visited before. The guards with us opened two doors on opposite sides of the hall, each of which led to a small bedroom, which was equipped with only a bed.

“Looks like we are moving up in the world,” Bill remarked.

I nodded, “Indeed—from a cage to a box.”

“Get in,” one of the guards said as he pushed me into my new ‘home’ and slammed the door behind me.

I sat on the bed. “Well, at least it’s slightly more comfortable than the last one,” I said to the wall as I kicked off my flip-flops and lay down.

It was still a while before dawn, so I concentrated on my bonds again.

Pam was still irritated—cagey even. I wondered if this was because of my being gone, her confrontation with Sookie, or her new child. I sighed. Before I’d confronted Russell more than a year before, I’d told Pam that it was time for her to consider creating a child of her own. And—like Godric had done for me—I’d instructed her many times over the years to wait to choose a child until she was “pulled” to someone. I wondered if she had felt the pull. I hoped so.

I knew that Pam could be a great maker if she put her determination into being one. I hoped that—no matter whom she had turned—that she would commit herself to his or her training, just as I’d done with her.

The thought of my line—of Godric’s line—going on pleased me. Pam had my blood and my maker’s blood inside of her. And Pam’s child would have the blood of his or her forebears too. Yes—the thought that I would not die completely even if I met the true death was strangely comforting to me.

However, I was still angry at my progeny for her recent disobedience. I did not care to be questioned by Pamela when I gave her orders. And I knew that much of her recent behavior had stemmed from her jealousy of Sookie.

As I’d been thinking about Pam, I’d been monitoring my bond with the blond telepath as well. Sookie was even more desperate now to find what she was looking for. She also felt tired—worn down. Ever since she’d walked away from Bill and me, she’d been a mix of overpowering emotions, and—at least during the nights since then—I had not felt her sleep. I’d not felt her rest at all.

Had we exchanged blood three times, I would have been able to transmit comfort to her through our bond. I would have been able to encourage her rest.

But I was powerless to give her any relief.

Utterly. Fucking. Powerless.

At dawn, I found myself fighting my own rest for a while, as I kept monitoring Sookie and hoping to feel her sink into the embrace of sleep as well.

She never did.

Two hours after the sun was in the sky, I finally allowed myself to succumb to death for the day. My last thought was that the harness that held a wooden bullet poised over my heart was nothing next to the harness that held me to Sookie Stackhouse.

A/N: I have to say that I really liked Molly. I wish she’d not died in the show so that I could keep her around. But-at least-we get to see her a couple more times.

Again, love reading your spin on Eric’s thoughts. Agree Molly was a great character that was wasted on the show while others were given way too much camera time. And these were professionals in the business, sigh. Your versions are so much better. Maybe we need a show driven by fan fiction writers!

Catching up on inner!!! I lived Molly too and she was wasted by the silly writers of TB… If things had been up to Eric he’d have recruited her and Pam could start a line of isextoys based on that harness… Eric sure looks sexy in it….

COMMENTS ON THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE STORY:
Mindy says:
July 11, 2012 at 8:09 am

I really liked this chapter. Eric was so funny and flirt’y the perfect combo. Eric teasing Bill is also hillarous, their matching outfits. I was laughing a ton when Eric was flirting with the tech girl. I really liked how Eric stayed awake waiting for Sookie to sleep.

Reply
californiakat1564 says:
July 11, 2012 at 3:32 pm

Thanks, Mindy. I am having a fun time getting into the Viking’s head. I’m glad that you are enjoying my exploration too! And I loved the techy!
Kat

askarsgirl says:
January 13, 2015 at 8:32 am

I agree. They couldn’t have cast a more perfect person (in so many ways!) to play Eric. I’m loving this bad can’t wait till the next update. I’m especially loving an all Eric POV!

I too loved Molly, and like The Guardian, wished they would have kept her as a recurring character. She was fun! The actress who played was a child star like Anna Pacquin and it’s great to see her now using her talent once more. Great chapter!

Thanks, Kat! Same to you, and I hope all is well with you too! Big plans for Easter, or on you on Spring break yet? You know, I have no idea what happened, but I went approx. two-three months without getting any updates from WP, but it’s fixed now, and oh my! I have so much reading to get up-to-date! Such a chore. LOL! 🙂 Back to the story, YES! S5 was not the best & I can’t wait to read what you’ve done to “fix” them in your most unique way!

oh damn in the still pics i noticed the harness gave Beehl more pronounced man boobies…lol…. Stephen needed to be in better shape for sure and i noticed that the Istake was a cross, i guess this was a play on crosses bringing vampires death. loved the chapter, loved Molly, she was a hoot. KY

Receive Alerts

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,142 other followers

Many thanks to Seph, who is a wonderful friend and provides so much art to this site!Many thanks to my wonderful and generous Beta! I couldn't do it without you!from Hisviks, the patient owner of BEEHL the cat